Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-05-07

short distance s. "a
from the celebrated IN >AtN
stock farms Of Har-zHIzHBzlN ffsR
per and Alexander >@Iz3fz3 NV
He was graduated
IN medicine at the LUXE P. BLACKBURN.
age Of Is at the Pennsylvania university and
entered upon the practice of his profession in
Lexington. When he was but 70 be displayed
that noble spirit of self sacrificing hero
ism which afterwari won him the ell
viable appeIlation Of "the philanthropy
ist." Cholera appeared in Versailles, the
county seat Of Woodford county, and the
daily mortality was frightfuL A number
Of resident physicians died and others fed
when DR.. Blackburn alone for days answered
the call Of distress for medical aid. He after
ward removed ~ Versailles and in 1913 was
elected TO the state legislature. Three years
Rfterward he took up his residence in Natchez.
Miss, where ne soon acquired q large anu
lucrative practice and became well known
throughout that part Of the south tributary
to the Mississippi river. In 1873. while lac wa
health officer at Natchez be built at his own
expense, during the preva' ence Of yellow fevei
at New Orleans, hospital for the benefit O.
the suffering boatmen for whom the genera
government made no provision. From TIM
institution arose the system Of marine hos
piUals IN the various parts of the wesJer
rivers, which congress adOnted by Dernp
nently establishing the Natcuez hospital 0I
the recommendation and request of Dr.
Blackburn II was during the following
years, while he held the position of surgeon in
the state and national hospitals, that ne al
vanced the theory OF exemption from AsiaUi.
cholera by tie use Of pure soft water, ami
ntade known his belief in the infection o.
yellow fever, in coutroversion Of the gener-
ally accepted theory Of contagion. These
raised multitude Of opponents, who wrote
good deal Of science and idicule in their at
taclls on what they called "The old Woua'
Doctor" but few physicians viii be foun.
now who disagree with these theories.
His wife, who was Miss Ella Guest Boswell
daughter Of DR.. Joseph Boswell, of L-zi1g
ton, died in 1865, and while visiting Z.
principal hospitals Of Europe in 1851 he ma.
in Paris Miss Julia NJ Churchill, his pre~eu
wife, whom he married on their return t,
America At the breaking out Of the civi
war he was living in New Orleans, and wit
his frien 3, J. a Quitman. afberward a dis
tir~uished renp~a1 IL the Confederate arm r..
was among the first advocates Of the secession
of the south He was attached as surgeon to
the-staff Of Gen. Sterling Price. and carried
with him an appropriation Of $4,000 10y the
legislature of Mississippi for the benefit OF
sick and wounded soldiers Of that state. i
commission TO superintend the furnishing Of
supplies for blockade runners necessirated BIZ
sojourn IN Canada. and thence IL 1864 he re
paired to the Bermuda Islands. He was &C
cused while here Of an attempt 70 spread &
scourge throughout the north by sending in
fecced clothing Of smallpox and yellow fever
patients through the lines. The accusation,
though pronounced m Infamous caluuny by
Dr. Blackburn. excited bitter elimination and
recrimination IN the newspapers Of the two
sections. It was revived about five years
ago when. in support Of his innocence and
good viii TO the people Of the north the
doctor referred 10 his EratIlit0us services
rendered the afflicted at the request Of the
mavor of New York. in which city he was
then a visitor. during the yellow fever plagu.
in 1865 at Fort Washington, on Long Island
In 1867 he went to Arkansas and engaged
in planting, but in 1913 again resumed the
practice Of medicine in Louisville, Ky.
When the terrible yellow fever scourge OF
ISIS destroyed the inhabitants Of western
Kentucky and Memphis, Tenn, by the thou
sands. Dr. Blackburn was the first physician
10 respond 10 the appeal for help. bis ser
vices there called forth the highest praise
from the press, the pulpit and the people, an
] in 1873 brought him the Democratic nO1niua
/ ton for governor on the first ballot wltnou
opposition. He was elected 70 that high OH
/ bv a vote Of 125, 7g9, over the vote Of SIS
/ given Walter Evans. the Republican candl
/ date. an increase Of :. $50 votes over the Dem
! ocratic majority obtained by James B. Ne
! Creary in 1870 over his opponent. Judge JOIN
/ NJ. Harlan. now associate justice OF tn.
| United States supreme court. On his entranc.
/ into Office Governor Blackburn found til,
penitentiary at Frankfort crowded bavon1
/ its capacity, its sanitary condition horru5 l.I
and the treatment Of the prisone. cruel, al
without check or restraint on the lessee.
press heralded it over the country us II.
/ Black Hole Of Ken-uc-y." Governor Bla
/ burn. moved bv lis Cl1ra"-e'iN,Ic lmi'u.-
! at once determined 70 remedy this gl'ett e.
/ He demanded OF the legislature that II El'
/ some prOyiSiOn for tie excess OF PRISON.
/ and institute an improved system Of maur
| nent. threatening, IN the event ot Iaii.'-,
/ dispense such wholesale use Of the PARDON. .
| power as would practically empty the pen
/ iteutiarv. A resolution vas th1geuDoD lis-7-
| recommending the pardon OF nthrtl ~ -.
the most deserving COnylcfs, ana an s.t lu.
lowed it changing the system from tine lessee
! ship TO the waruensnlP, winch mas sih1
raised the prison TO q rank among TIE ne7'
conducted and conditioned IN the country
/ His message also germ mated the / ial Zili'
4 Branch prison. now nearing complexion. AZ
governor and his excel lent wife, vino tcaT-il
[ ro-oparsted with him in all his phiisul.-ro'
/ movements, gave the prison their e@''a'i
/ care. visiting II almost daily AMI Ius-iJl 'i'-
| Sunday school ana other adluucts pra.-'"
/ Of wholesome and effective means OF working
4 reformation among the inmates.
/ During his administration, IN the S''inE
! 1852. he made his first public cou-..-i'a O.
faith in salvation through Christ. The ~ '5n
Tain evangelist. George o. Barnes. was b7..
| inc q series Of meetings in Frankfort. g..
amid the penitents who walked down @.
/ aisle 70 the front row at the time OF tn' = '
/ of the religious fervOr WIS seen f1e Ei-'T -.''i
| head OF the governor o. KENTUCKY l1s~-al
while tears spranC TO the eve OF the ro.i-r-
/ ton. q great throng arose and move
I him. That month he was re"t'l - -
Christ Episcopal church in Louisville. Z Pr
Rev. T. [. Dudlev, IL. D. bishop OF IN.
diocese. aduliniS-nri7C rha Sa~~'0lenr
WILLIAM h NEwHALL., ,iR.
Dakota Weather Indications.
~ -IzsN q, 1